Menstrual tampons for intra-vaginal use have been known and used for a very long time. Since tampons are worn internally, they are considered to be discrete and mostly very comfortable to wear, lacking the occluding plastic backing of external protection devices such as sanitary napkins. However, during days of light menstrual flow or when changing the tampon after a short period of use, removal of the tampon may cause severe discomfort or even pain. This is due to the tampon absorbing menstrual discharge as well as humidity from the mucous membranes on the vaginal wall. When the tampon is being removed, it tends to adhere to the vaginal wall giving rise to increased friction and making it hard to extract. Moreover, the dried-out mucous membranes make it almost impossible or at least very difficult and uncomfortable to insert a new tampon to replace the one that has been removed.
The problems experienced when changing tampons that have not been used to their full capacity lead to users wearing tampons for longer periods of time than recommended. This is highly undesirable in that it increases the risk of bacterial infections.
In order to facilitate removal of a used tampon, it has been suggested to treat the surface of the tampon with lubricating agents decreasing the friction between the tampon and the vaginal wall. However, such treatment suffers from several drawbacks. For example, lubricating agents provided on the surface of the tampon may easily migrate onto and/or into a packaging enclosing the tampon before use. Furthermore, the use of lubricating agents on the surface of the tampon complicates the production process and puts particular demands on handling and packaging of the tampons.
Furthermore, in order to facilitate removal of a used tampon, it has also been suggested to provide the tampon with a withdrawal aid. For example, US 2005/0143708 discloses a tampon including a withdrawal aid, which is attached to and extends from the insertion end of the tampon. The withdrawal aid is positioned in a first position before use of the tampon and in the insertion state of the tampon. In the first position, the withdrawal aid covers at least parts of the length of the absorption body and acts as a spacing means, creating a distance between the mucous membranes on the user's vaginal wall and the absorption body. However, when the tampon is being pulled out after use, the withdrawal aid will move from the first position to a second position in which it extends away from the absorption body. The withdrawal aid will move from the first position to the second position by inverting or peeling away from the absorption body. Thereby, removal of the tampon is facilitated and chafing and abrasion of the mucous membranes are reduced.
However, the process for producing the tampon with the withdrawal aid disclosed in US 2005/0143708 is relatively complicated. In addition, during withdrawal of the tampon disclosed in US 2005/0143708 out of the vagina, the user might experience that the tampon is relatively long due to the inverted withdrawal aid extending away from the absorption body.
Thus, there still exists a need for an improved vaginal tampon, whose removal from the vagina is facilitated even when only partially saturated with menstrual fluid and/or whose insertion into the vagina is facilitated, and which is not associated with the above mentioned drawbacks.